Thursday, June 14, 2012

Markets in Everything: Vending Machine Pizza



LA Times -- "Get ready for Let's Pizza, a pizza vending machine that promises to deliver a piping hot pizza pie made from scratch in less than three minutes. The pizza arrives in an insulated take-away box. The machine takes cash and credit cards. A 10-inch pizza will sell for about $5.95. Americans can expect to see the new machines at malls, airports, hospitals, restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, universities, gas stations and bus stations."

Prediction: Obesity Czar Bloomberg will ban these in NYC. 

26 Comments:

At 6/14/2012 4:15 PM, Blogger Jet Beagle said...

That's the future of fast food, isn't it? McDonald's no longer requires a worker to stand over a fry vat. If Washington keeps raising minimum wages and mandating benefits, McDonald's will just find more tasks that it can automate.

 
At 6/14/2012 4:16 PM, Blogger sethstorm said...

Sounds like that's going to be some very bad pizza. 3 minute turnaround, machine-made ingredients (pre-tossed dough no doubt), and the $5.95 price does not leave room for any quality.


Independent of any political motivations, Bloomberg would be doing us a service at this point ;)

 
At 6/14/2012 4:16 PM, Blogger Its GSATT said...

^^^^^ I agree with this prediction

 
At 6/14/2012 4:17 PM, Blogger Its GSATT said...

i agreed with jet's prediction

 
At 6/14/2012 4:19 PM, Blogger sethstorm said...


If Washington keeps raising minimum wages and mandating benefits, McDonald's will just find more tasks that it can automate.

Then Washington will eventually structure them such that automation won't help and that you're better off not trying to screw with the worker.

 
At 6/14/2012 4:57 PM, Blogger Methinks said...

This is very cool. Keynesians won't like it.


I wouldn't worry about quality, Sethstorm. Americans think Velveeta is cheese.

 
At 6/14/2012 5:13 PM, Blogger Michael Hoff said...

I would buy absolutely anything that woman tried to sell me.

 
At 6/14/2012 5:39 PM, Blogger Henry H said...

How often are the food bins pulled out and disinfected? Do they just keep refilling the bins without emptying out the old ingredients? It looks like a potential hazard for bacteria, mold and food poisoning.

 
At 6/14/2012 7:50 PM, Blogger Chuck said...

i thought of this video when i saw that. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1BQPV-iCkU

we are not too far off.

 
At 6/14/2012 8:42 PM, Blogger Jon Murphy said...

I must admit, I am intrigued but a little concerned about its viability. One of the attractions of vending machines is that they provide instant service. The 3 minute run time might be an issue with some people. Still, it should be interesting.

 
At 6/14/2012 8:50 PM, Blogger Seth said...

"pre-tossed dough no doubt"
-sethstorm

Do our name some good and do your homework before honking your loud and obnoxious horn.

The dough is made from water and flour after you order it, mechanically kneaded free of "human touch" and it leavens as it cooks.

 
At 6/15/2012 12:03 AM, Blogger Ron H. said...

Henry H.

"How often are the food bins pulled out and disinfected? Do they just keep refilling the bins without emptying out the old ingredients? It looks like a potential hazard for bacteria, mold and food poisoning."

You should probably decide for your own peace of mind to avoid them.

 
At 6/15/2012 6:17 AM, Blogger juandos said...

"Then Washington will eventually structure them such that automation won't help and that you're better off not trying to screw with the worker"...

You still keep trying to piss into the wind, eh sethstorm?

 
At 6/15/2012 6:20 AM, Blogger juandos said...

"It looks like a potential hazard for bacteria, mold and food poisoning"...

Now you know where NOT to spend YOUR money, right henry?

 
At 6/15/2012 9:06 AM, Blogger Hydra said...

Oh Goody, I can hardly wait.

 
At 6/15/2012 11:06 AM, Blogger bart said...

http://www.nowandfutures.com/grins/pizza_thread_delivers.jpg

-g-

 
At 6/15/2012 12:32 PM, Blogger Mike said...

Methinks,

"Americans think Velveeta is cheese."

The first think you've ever written that I disagree with. We think it's a miracle with a delicious cheesy taste. Different.

 
At 6/15/2012 2:08 PM, Blogger Methinks said...

I stand corrected, Mike :)

 
At 6/15/2012 2:57 PM, Blogger sethstorm said...


I wouldn't worry about quality, Sethstorm. Americans think Velveeta is cheese.

I'm not expecting the best quality pizza. Thankfully this doesn't appear to threaten anyone with a reasonably good pizza.

This would be good in places that have a lot of places close early.

 
At 6/15/2012 4:34 PM, Blogger Ron H. said...

I stand corrected, Mike :)"

Don't be so hasty, Methinks, that's only one American speaking. :)

I do know, however, that freshwater fish love it. Millions of fish can't be wrong, can they?

 
At 6/15/2012 4:37 PM, Blogger Ron H. said...

"This would be good in places that have a lot of places close early."

Yeah, I know most pizza restaurants try to close as early as possible to avoid having to deal with customers.

 
At 6/15/2012 4:41 PM, Blogger Ron H. said...

"Sounds like that's going to be some very bad pizza. 3 minute turnaround, machine-made ingredients (pre-tossed dough no doubt), and the $5.95 price does not leave room for any quality."

LOL

Sez sethstorm, the business model expert.

 
At 6/15/2012 4:49 PM, Blogger Ron H. said...

Michael Hoff: "I would buy absolutely anything that woman tried to sell me."

Picture yourself driving away from your local Lamborghini dealership, then looking around the interior, trying to determine what kind of car you had just bought.

 
At 6/17/2012 7:34 PM, Blogger sethstorm said...

Ron H:

Look at the places that sell $5-6 dollar pizza for that size. That's going into bad pizza territory.

I try to throw a compliment towards the article and your standard reaction is to shoot it down. Those pizza places don't hate customers, they just hate having employees.

 
At 6/18/2012 1:23 PM, Blogger Ron H. said...

sethstorm

"I try to throw a compliment towards the article and your standard reaction is to shoot it down. Those pizza places don't hate customers, they just hate having employees."

No, sethstorm, those pizza places don't hate having employees, because productive employees produce more for the employer than they are paid. Employers LOVE having productive employees, and wish they had more of them.

What they hate is having employees like you who think they are owed a job and a living and who are constantly complaining, and who may cost more than they produce. That's why you're unemployed.

 
At 6/18/2012 1:26 PM, Blogger Ron H. said...

"Look at the places that sell $5-6 dollar pizza for that size. That's going into bad pizza territory."

Meaning that it can't be done, because it isn't being one.

You already stuck your foot in your mouth by assuming the dough was premixed, do you want to see if the other one will fit also?

 

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